The FSO Polonez is a motor vehicle that was developed in Poland in collaboration with Fiat and produced by Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych from 1978 to 2002.

It was based on the Polski Fiat 125p platform with a new hatchback design by Zbigniew Watson, Walter de Silva and Giorgetto Giugiaro.

[2] It was available in body styles that included two- and four-door compact-sized cars, station wagons, as well as commercial versions as pickup truck, cargo van, and ambulance.

[4] The car's name comes from the Polish dance, the polonaise, and was chosen through a readers' poll conducted by the newspaper Życie Warszawy.

The internal components, including updated 1.3/1.5 Litre engines, (pistons and carburetor), the chassis, and other mechanicals, were from the Polski Fiat 125p.

The Caro 1.9 GLD hitting a concrete block (without an energy-absorbing metal cage) with 40% of the front at 50 km/h (31 mph) survived very well.

The Polonez 2000 has a Fiat twin-cam engine with 1,995 cc, 82 kW (110 hp), a 5-speed gearbox, a 0–100 km/h acceleration of 12.0 seconds, and a 175 km/h (109 mph) top speed.

This was fitted with the AB 1,481 cc engine of 60 kW (82 PS), a five-speed gearbox (final drive ratio 4:3), and a radio.

It was the first FSO model to feature electronic ignition and fuel economizer owing to a supply of pre-heated air to the suction manifold.

FSO Polonez modifications: stamped rear spoiler instead of plastic one, new model labels on the sticking foil, new version coding system with an 'S' supposedly meaning that the car had the additional rear-side windows in the C-pillar, a feature was often broken in practice.

Following this competition version, the FSO Polonez 1.5 SLE Turbo with a turbocharged AA engine was introduced in December 1989.

[9] The Turbo Polonez' were built mainly in rally versions (group N), although on special order a Turbo-kit could be installed in mass-produced cars.

[10] Simultaneously, a version with an Italian FNM-built (Fratelli Negri Motori) 1,366 cc (1.4 L) turbo-diesel and a five-speed manual appeared (called the "Polonez Piedra 1.3 Turbodiesel"), specifically for the Belgian market.

[9] In 1990, the FSO Polonez 2.0 SLE appeared, fitted with Ford's 105 PS (77 kW) 2.0-litre engine, 12.5 seconds acceleration to 100 km/h and a top speed of 165 km/h (103 mph).

A unique version of FSO Polonez dubbed Stratopolonez (also known as FSO Polonez 2500 Racing) uses Lancia Stratos components salvaged from a crashed car that was driven by Andrzej Jaroszewicz, the son of Prime Minister Piotr Jaroszewicz in 1977 on Rally Poland.

The car uses an FSC Star radiator located in the front (as a counterweight due to the vehicle being now mid-engined), engine output was improved to 280 PS, and does not share spoilers with FSO Polonez 2000 Rally.

Marian made improvements, such as adding wider rear wheel arches and strengthening areas around the windshield.

Also new was the FSO Polonez Caro 1.9 GLD with Citroën's 1,905 cc diesel engine, 50 kW (68 PS), 120 N⋅m (89 lb⋅ft), and a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).

End of export to the Netherlands, the last foreign market for Polonez passenger versions; the final offering in the Netherlands consisted of: (December) FSO Polonez Caro Plus and Atu Plus 1.6 GSI - with Delphi (Multec XM) multi-point fuel injection, 1598 cc 62 kW (84 PS), 130 N⋅m (96 lb⋅ft), circa 155 km/h (96 mph) top speed, new door handles introduced.

These included: There were also many prototypes, including a pickup made using the rear part of Polski Fiat 125p pick-up, chassis cab (without frame in the rear), 4x4 off-roader (Analog), hydro-pneumatic suspension, another sedan version (very different from Atu/Celina), 4x4 Truck w/o offroad suspension and van.

Imports to the UK ceased in 1997, though sales continued in some parts of Western Europe - including France - for at least a year afterward.

Nevertheless, many other local parts were substituted (Dongfanghong was also working with Fiat at the time on tractor technology, which may have also influenced the choice of a car).

[16][17] The FSO Polonez suffered from relatively poor performance (except for those models equipped with the Fiat 2.0 DOHC, the Ford 2.0 SOHC, or the Rover 1.4 MPI 16V).